Syria vote was a very good day for democracy

HE'LL be licking his wounds this weekend, feeling angry with others and possibly disappointed with himself.

David Cameron was dealt a body-blow by Parliament this week but it was good for democracy

But David Cameron has no reason to feel ashamed of his defeat in the Commons for he has shown himself to be a man of courage and principle.

The Prime Minister can take comfort from American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, who declared: "Always do what you are afraid to do." That surely sums up the position Cameron found himself in as he tried to convince Parliament that British missiles should join those which might be about to rain down on Syria.

He must have known how close the vote would be once Labour's two-faced U-turn became apparent.

He must have feared that enough of his own MPs would rebel to make defeat a real possibility. The PM knew the strength of public opinion that was lined up against him because the Daily Express has brought the full weight of Middle Britain to bear on him all week.

For all that, David Cameron did not flinch from doing what he believed to be right. And for that we should admire him, however much most of us may take the opposing view on military intervention in Syria.

We should remember that he didn't have to seek a vote in Parliament before ordering an attack on President Assad's chemical weapon dumps. For 200 years prime ministers have been able to use the royal prerogative to act first and seek approval later.

Cameron, with memories still fresh of Tony Blair's war-mongering and Alastair Campbell's dodgy dossier, chose to respect the will of Parliament and by so doing gave public opinion the chance to influence events.

By accepting the authority of Parliament, the PM has demonstrated that he is our servant not our master. That can only be good for democracy.

With hindsight, Cameron may well reflect that losing this crucial vote was the best thing that could have happened. For now he is free to concentrate his energy and the efforts of his ministers on the issues that matter most to the nation: repairing the economy that Labour broke, hacking back the bloated welfare state, reforming the struggling NHS, cutting immigration, improving our schools… the list is as endless as it is critical.

Not for 230 years has a Prime Minister lost a vote in Parliament on whether British forces should be sent into battle. Back in 1782 it was Lord North whose wish to continue the colonial war against America was defeated.

"Oh God, it's all over," his lordship gasped before resigning three weeks later.

How ironic that it was our Government's wish to support America this time that ended in parliamentary ignominy.

However, resignation should not cross Cameron's mind for one second. He stood up for what he felt in his heart was right. His determination to do something positive rather than wring his hands in impotence shows real guts.

His manner in defeat, the graciousness with which he accepted that a stronger will than his had prevailed, shows great character.

All around him others took their own tests - and failed. Ed Miliband proved beyond any doubt that he is not fit to lead the Labour Party let alone the country.

On Tuesday, Ed the Bold was up for air strikes and backing the Americans.

Cameron respected the will of Parliament

By Thursday Ed the Unready was running in the opposite direction. Principles? He has plenty just as long as you don't expect them to last more than 48 hours.

Labour's volte-face was the first time since the Suez crisis of 1956 that an Opposition has failed to support the deployment of our military.

Some may wonder how much of their posturing over Syria is a sop to their new inner-city Muslim core vote.

The Lib Dems got up to their usual backstabbing (with the honourable exception of Paddy Ashdown in the Lords) and many Conservative Eurosceptics went into the No lobby with more than a look of revenge about them.

For courage under fire, it was the Prime Minister who showed steel in his spine. Oh, and Education Minister Michael Gove deserves a mention in despatches for the way he lost his rag with the Tory rebels.

Thank goodness we still have a few in public life who get fired up and are prepared to fight for their beliefs, unlike the boring plodders and placemen who occupy so many seats in Westminster.

The horrific events in Syria present a difficult moral dilemma. On the one hand who can fail to weep at the TV footage of children burned almost beyond recognition? But balancing our pity is the realisation that missile strikes will inevitably lead to further bloodshed, either by "friendly fire" going astray, Assad ordering murderous retaliation or the Al Qaeda backed Syrian "rebels" unleashing further horrors both against their own people and the West.

Would you want to be in Downing Street shouldering the huge burden of making momentous life or death decisions that could set the Middle East ablaze? That takes immense courage, too.

Cameron's plight recalls the saying that if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. The Prime Minister could be excused for feeling it's advice he should take. But he won't be thinking that way, not for a moment - and nor should he.

As Churchill put it: "Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."